Vehicle suspension systems play a significant role in determining the comfort level of a vehicle's ride. Stabilizer bars are one component of a vehicle's suspension system. Stabilizer bars are designed to counteract centrifugal forces when cornering on a vehicle, such as ATVs, utility vehicles, and snowmobiles. Counteracting such centrifugal forces attempts to prevent the inside front and rear wheels from lifting off the ground and to keep all four wheels on the ground, thereby maintaining traction when making a turn. This allows the vehicle to corner considerably faster.
In effect, the stabilizer bar provides a torsional transverse connection between the independent suspensions of a pair of ground wheels. During a turn, this connection provides interaction between the two independent spring suspensions to share in resisting spring deflection imposed on the independent spring suspension of the outer wheel due to centrifugal force. The connection transmits such deflection to the independent spring suspension of the inner wheel. During straight-away driving, this connection may become a hindrance by limiting the amount the wheels are able to travel or spring independently. When one wheel interacts with an irregularity in the terrain, such as a bump, the stabilizer bar may then transmit the bump force to the other wheel. Therefore, it may be beneficial to balance the stiffness of the stabilizer bar so that it reduces the vehicle body roll while not greatly hindering the independence of the wheels.
Stabilizer bars employing such principle may be constructed in several ways. For example, some stabilizer bars employ steel tube carriers, steel tube torsion elements with steel levers connected to the ends, and center brackets for mounting the stabilizer bar to the vehicle. The torsion tubes may be rigid, providing negligible torsional yield under operating conditions. Lubrication may be applied between the steel carrier and steel torsion tube.